Poplar Creek Music Theatre, Higgins Road and Route 59, Hoffman Estates, Illinois

Photo geocatch by tskyrocket(4)

Capacity 20,000

Project Architect was Lee M.(2)

An article from the March 21, 1980 issue of the Daily Herald states that The Nederlander Organization of Detroit and its partner, RKO-General announced the slate of performers.

When it opened June 6, 1980, the surrounding neighborhoods weren't exactly thrilled. To appease them, the Nederlander Organization's inaugural concert featured a very non-threatening John Denver.(1) There were 100 acts scheduled to appear there the first year.
It consisted of a covered pavilion and grass seating area costing $15 million.

A roadie claims The Monkees performed here to over 25,000 fans in 1986. WLUP radio personality Jonathon Brandmeier is considered to be the attendance record holder at 26,000 in 1987 with his band Johnny and the Leisure Suits.
Various acts such as Bob Hope and Barbara Eden, Steve Miller Band, and Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Nicks, Carly Simon, Barry Manilow, Elton John, Frank Sinatra, The Beach Boys ,REO Speedwagon, Moody Blues, Anne Murray and Julie Andrews, Willie Nelson, James Taylor, Whitney Houston, Queen, Neil Young, , Bob Dylan, Allman Brothers, and Little Feat, performed through the years.

Attendance began to dwindle in the late 1980s, and Poplar Creek faced competition from the opening of the World Music Theater (now First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre) in Tinley Park in 1990. Sears acquired the property in 1989 and allowed Poplar Creek to remain in operation until 1994.
Many concertgoers interviewed said Poplar Creek was much better than its rival World Music Theatre in Tinley Park and other outdoor concert theaters.
Ironically, though, the Nederlander Organization of New York, operators of Poplar Creek, shut down its facility so it could join forces with the rival World, which opened in 1990.
Under their agreement, Nederlander will co-own, co-book and manage the World, and the World's owners were given a stake in the Nederlander-owned Alpine Valley Music Theatre in East Troy, Wis.(3)

In 2006, the Sears Centre opened in Hoffman Estates, near the former location of Poplar Creek.
There is a 295-room Marriott Hotel where the original stage and seating area used to be.(1)

1994

2006

Jerry performed here on
6/27/83 Grateful Dead
6/28/83 Grateful Dead
9/16/89 Jerry Garcia Band








1.)^http://lisawebworld1.tripod.com/poplarcreek.html
2.)^M., Lee, 2011-07-05, http://ourlocalhistory.wordpress.com/2010/04/04/who-was-the-first-performer-at-poplar-creek-music-theater/
3.)^Martinez, Michael, and Hartstein, Larry, 1995-07-06, The day The Music Died, http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1995-07-06/news/9507060236_1_elton-john-sales-concert
4.)^http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?wp=GC39TBK